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Bulk SMS

27 May 2016

Business SMS vs push notifications: Which one for your business?

Business SMS and push notifications are both great methods for communicating with an engaged customer base. There’s no questioning that the mobile device is the most effective way to reach your audience instantaneously. However, your customers are mobile and each have a different preference, so it’s important for marketers to choose the right communication platform.

As not all companies require an app, SMS is the best alternate means of communication when trying to engage with your target audience in real time. With a 97 percent open rate, SMS will always come out on top over push notifications.

In this blog, we will compare business SMS as a communication platform vs a business app and push notifications.

An SMS is sent to your customers through a mobile network, no internet connection is required. Push notifications are sent through an app to a user’s smartphone where an internet connection is required.

Sending an SMS to all of your customers is more effective than sending a push notification via a business app. An SMS can be sent to mobile devices both new and old. A push notification requires a smartphone and not all of your customers will own a smartphone or download your business app.

An SMS will always save to your customers’ mobile phone, allowing them to read it again and again. A push notification will disappear as soon as the customer dismisses it, sometimes without it even being read.

Business SMS allows you to drive continuous customer engagement with your brand, offering promotions, reminders, updates just to name a few. Push notifications are mostly used to alert users of updates to your business app or to ask your customers to engage with your app again.

Business SMS is a permission-based means of communication, your customers need to give their consent and opt in if they wish to hear from your business. A push notification requires no opt-in or consent to send a user a notification, as they’ve essentially opted in by downloading your business app.

In-app advertising is used by some brands, but this will not suit particular customers and they will may opt out or delete your business app. An SMS is personal and will only advertise the messages your business wants to promote to your customers.

Business SMS is cost-effective and will not require additional software development for your business. A business app needs to be developed, but this can cost a fortune and updates are required on a regular basis.